Personal rally photos from the road, stage & service area

There are track, paddock and hill threads. Do I detect a few more browsers of a rally persuasion of late?If this is allowed, I would hope for photos from way back, at least from before the 4wd invasion.

After the "Big" Healey had been restricted in Group3 by the new for 1966 Appendix J, one final outing of an "ultimate" version was planned for the 1967 RAC Rally, which had secured approval to run Groups 5 and 6 cars. Peter Browning's personal car was taken back into the works. Then came foot and mouth and a silent start car park at the Excelsior Hotel, Heathrow.

Great pics Terry!! Love the Mk 11 Jag, never seen that model rallying before!!!! Your woodwork instructor sounds a bit like our old science teacher,Frank Harrison, who used to race, rally and sprint a hot Morris Minor 1000, such a big influence on us kids, bless him, we used to enjoy his company on stage and night events some 30 plus years later and I spent a lovely evening with him, over a pint earlier in the year, sadly he died in May. They don't make them like Frank anymore

Western Australia, 1968 1,000 Mile rally, breakfast stop, Roelands: on the extreme right in corduroy cap is the Hon John Dawson-Damer, while looking over her shoulder at the camera (or, as I prefer to think, looking at me) is his then wife Rosemary. She was driving that Cooper S, he was navigating.

Lydden rallycross the weekend after the cancelled 67 RAC has been covered on another thread. On the start day of the RAC, the first stage at Camberley was run for TV, I think won by Timo Makinen with Tony Fall in the passenger seat. The Makinen Group6 8port headed, fuel injected Cooper S sits covered in frost on the Saturday morning:

Gunnar Palm clears the frost off the windscreen of the Group2 Lotus Cortina (other team cars, including that for Graham Hill were Group5) while Bengt Soderstrom err.."supervises".

Volvo is Trana or Raimo Kossilla? Only BMW listed is Block/Piquot (can't recall crew names and sound French although it's British registered). Too many Swedish-driven Gordinis to indentify and can't see crew to recognise anyone. Mustang Kennerley/Martland of course (shown as 1427cc in entry list!).
Do you know which stage?

Originally posted by RS2000 Volvo is Trana or Raimo Kossilla? Only BMW listed is Block/Piquot (can't recall crew names and sound French although it's British registered). Too many Swedish-driven Gordinis to indentify and can't see crew to recognise anyone. Mustang Kennerley/Martland of course (shown as 1427cc in entry list!).Do you know which stage?

The Volvo must be the Per Lennart Boström / Kurt Tillman one, 'cause is swedish registered and Raimo Kossila is finnish, while Tom Trana was @ the wheel of OA72907.

The BMW only can be the Block / Piquot as you've stated. In my database I've his names spelled C.E. Bock & M. Picot.

On the Gordini theme, we've come to the same conclusion: too many swedish registered Gordinis...

I had no idea that the R8 Gordini was so popular with the Swedes, was this because of the rear engine RWD configuration? Therefore aiding good traction? I loved to see these cars in France in the '60's with lots of negative camber on their 3 stud alloy wheels, and being French, they were usually in French Racing Blue

Originally posted by Cirrus The pictures were taken on he Camberley stage (the first?)

Location is at highest point of stage, electricity pylon nearby?? (although I can't see myself there!).Yes it was first stage, named Bramshill then but Camberley in later years (as you'll know there's another Bramshill Forest, still used today, to the west beyond Blackbushe).

I wasn't sure whether Kossilla, although a Finn, was in a works (Swedish registerd) Volvo.

That stage was coverd by TV but it was delayed transmission same day, not live, as I got home in time to see me walk between the Gordini of Sylvia Osterberg and the stage finish marshal...

Makinen punctured on that stage and (Roger) Clark was fastest, as he was on the next two, before it all went wrong. All the many other works Cooper Ss had the standard 510 cam in anticipation of snow and were down on power.

Well...isn't Perth a small world Terry. The feared Mr Sharples was my woodwork instructor in highschool too...If I'd known he was into rallying I might have tried to get on with him and not had my miserable woodworking efforts tossed across the room... Growing up in the Jaguar scene here too I knew/know Jim Percival and Roadbend Motors well. The Mk 1 was quite a successful machine considering it was at least 15 years old when it was built up and campaigned.

The Volvo must be the Per Lennart Boström / Kurt Tillman one, 'cause is swedish registered and Raimo Kossila is finnish

Often the gifted amateurs were given (bought, lent or hired at favourable rates) factory spec cars which often retained their country of origin registration for taxation and import regulations reasons. I was friends with a Dane in the shipping business who resided in Malmo (Sweden). In '69 he was using a "F" Coventry rego Imp. Renault sort of supported a "B" with factory mechanics and local drivers. So rego and nationality are not a guide.

I must take exception to the needless requote of pictures on this and other threads, damn it all it was only the previous post.

The thread title doesn't say anything about boats but, to recognise David Stokes winning the 2007 British Historic Rally Championship yesterday, here is his (similar to today's) car in 1976, on the truck in the foreground, crossing back from Dunoon to Gourock after the British Rally Championship Burmah Rally. Ahead of it to the right is the Roger Clark/Cossack car trailered behind the works Granada Estate crewed by Norman Masters and Don Partington and ahead of that is the Martin Group Firenza. The Saab may be Joan Pink's. The metallic green Cortina Estate to the left is mine, having been service car for the Finch/Rudge Tungstone Batteries Gp1 Avenger GT.I don't think the Wallace Arnold coach full of OAPs had been competing....

The 1980 RAC Rally was the last without 4wd cars and arguably the most open since the 24 valve Stratos had the beating of the Escorts in 75. Dunlop development had ceased and did this cost Mikkola a hat trick of Escort wins, rather than the usually acclaimed brilliance of Toivonen (who was behind both Kullang and Waldegard before their problems)?The other DTV Chevette of McRae ran Dunlop but Pentti Airikkala (here talking to mechanics behind team co-ordinator Colin Francis) insisted on Michelin. In the background is the service van of Tim Brise, who was actually leading at this point on the first day on Kleber tyres.

Great pictures, you mention both Brise and Toivonen, odd that my recollection of that years event was that Tim led (before going off?) and that Henri was spectacular to watch. The Chevette looks great in the DTV/Castrol livery

Tim Brise led the first day until dark (I think with an exceptional time on Longleat) in the "Dees of Croydon" Escort on Kleber tyres (that was actually a Haynes/John Taylor registration number - I think JT was managing him) but was already in electrical problems and, after a number of alternator changes, the fault just could not be found and he retired.
I feel the need to balance the Toivonen (in a Sunbeam Lotus on Michelin, with at least 20bhp more than those of Frequelin and Brookes) adulation that has become the main historical record of that rally. He did nothing special until a very fast time on Grisedale stuck the knife in any thoughts Mikkola had of winning - but Waldegard in a Celica on Pirelli and Kullang in an Ascona on Michelin, both ahead of him at that point, had problems there so their true comparative pace against his best will never be really known. I'd better admit that, from two particular personal encounters on RACs, I disliked Toivonen.
The story of that rally was "anything but Dunlop". A sole 5.3 diff being saved for Wales went into the Vatanen Escort for Kielder, replacing the intended 5.1 in an attempt to keep up by using higher revs - to no avail.

In my experience he behaved towards rally people he didn't know as a prima donna. That's based on just a very few personal encounters and it makes allowance for his age and his English not being anything like as extensive then as that of most other Finnish drivers. I'm sure those who knew him (and co-drove for him of course) will have a different remembrance but I can't immediately think of any other top rally driver I got such bad vibes about. I've briefly encountered most, walking into parc ferme when I was walking out, or vice versa, when running down the field, and a friendly nod of the head or similar acknowledgement was usually offered by them. Maybe he was always intense out of the car and took his brilliance from that? I know Paul White considers HT genuinely "won" the 80 RAC and didn't luck into it - but I always feel a need to qualify the remaining reports/written records that seem to forget others were doing well too.
So, he was really a pussycat with those who knew him well, was he?

Firstly, Henri could be very difficult at times, but I was a newcomer to the WRC (we did very few big events with the TR7s) so thought it was normal! The fact that I did three full seasons with him (1981-1983), yet no one else ever completed a single season alongside must say something. Recces were always difficult. It seemed that when I was up and ready to go at 7.00 am Henri would appear at midday, but if I turned up at 07.10 the day was spoilt because of the lost ten minutes.

He did seem to be getting things sorted nicely, at least in rallying terms, by the beginning of 1986, before the inexplicable accident in Corsica.

I must say I have never considered his 1980 result anything other than deserved. I can't believe he had 20 bhp more than Frequelin, unless the team expected him to retire and were using experimental parts for 1981. That event was wide open; I remember Peter Ashcroft telling all that Tony Pond would win, while Kullang was very strong too. Grizedale was a very tough stage back then, long and twisty, and you had been on the road for about 30 hours. It was probably second only to the Kielder complex in difficulty.

I do have great memories of events with Henri too - 2nd in Portugal and San Remo 1981 spring to mind, and 3rds in Greece and RAC in 1982 too. There were also two dominant runs in the Isle of Man in 1982 and 1983 although the first ended in retirement.....

When I have unpacked after an imminent house move I'll dig out some old slides of my time with Henri and see if I can figure out how to post them.

Eagerly anticipate photos. I try to tell it like it was and in life you just sometimes instantly like or dislike people on briefest contact and it never changes. It's not a general comment or view of HT, it's just mine. It's dangerous on here to say anything about icons. Honestly recording that DSJ really did influence young newcomers to the sport with his anti-safety writings, and that nearly cost me my life, previously brought his champion, Doug Nye, out with all guns firing!
Relieved to see you agree that 80 RAC was one of most open ever. Hope the headache from Longleat has gone by now! (I was only recounting that incident to a group of competitors, camping overnight at Longleat at the hill climb, a month ago). We think "surely everyone remembers that?" - then realise some of those we are talking to weren't born then...
The sources I have read say HT's Sunbeam on 80 RAC was the only one there with the ultimate rally engine spec and GF's was (in modern wording) "one specification down" and Russell Brookes' down on GF's. Someone into Sunbeam Loti and running today in historics assures me the difference between best and next best (and hence affordable to him today!) can be up to 20 bhp.
I shouldn't really have mentioned Grisedale. I never went through it without at least one puncture. In 84 we had 2 fronts early on in the 18 or 20 miles or whatever it was and changed both...only fully regaining breath about a day later...

The Fulvias look lovely, can't quite see, were they(the competition car and the support car) on Italian Plates? Could be the R.A.C., but I doubt that the Cortina would have been number 2, as I believe they had seeding in place then, and it shows no R.A.C. plates

The 68 RAC had a dozen or so cars in the "European Cup Rally" (for cars outside Gp1/2/3/4 homologated spec) running ahead of the RAC proper. The Lancias ran in that section. Number 1 was a V6 Cortina. Number 2 (which won that section/event after the Lancias broke, was Rod Cooper (of Supersport Engines fame) and his brother Ian in the Cortina originally run by other Supersport partner Bill Mellis. It had a 1650 Twincam engine, taking it outside Gp2 eligibility and the main RAC Rally. The Anglia mentioned (a 1650 pushrod) was Nev Cook's. He mentioned how he inadvertently briefly held up Aaltonen on one stage and went over to apologise at the stage finish - only to be told "no problem, I knew you would move over as soon as there was space" (a gentleman, a bit different to some later on...). Excellent photos.
Without broadband at present, I won't even attempt to view the video link. Is it of last week's "Roger Albert Clark Rally" (the true RAC revival)? My old car in new hands finished 11th (first 8 valve behind all the BDA and Warrior engines) on the 25th anniversary of its first finish on the "real" RAC.
Did Munari lose Stratos rear bodywork too? It was Waldegard on the 75 RAC that ran so long without (under OTL protest that was not subsequently upheld and he was rightly excluded).

Originally posted by RS2000 The 68 RAC had a dozen or so cars in the "European Cup Rally" (for cars outside Gp1/2/3/4 homologated spec) running ahead of the RAC proper. The Lancias ran in that section. Number 1 was a V6 Cortina. Number 2 (which won that section/event after the Lancias broke, was Rod Cooper (of Supersport Engines fame) and his brother Ian in the Cortina originally run by other Supersport partner Bill Mellis. It had a 1650 Twincam engine, taking it outside Gp2 eligibility and the main RAC Rally. The Anglia mentioned (a 1650 pushrod) was Nev Cook's. He mentioned how he inadvertently briefly held up Aaltonen on one stage and went over to apologise at the stage finish - only to be told "no problem, I knew you would move over as soon as there was space" (a gentleman, a bit different to some later on...). Excellent photos.Without broadband at present, I won't even attempt to view the video link. Is it of last week's "Roger Albert Clark Rally" (the true RAC revival)? My old car in new hands finished 11th (first 8 valve behind all the BDA and Warrior engines) on the 25th anniversary of its first finish on the "real" RAC.Did Munari lose Stratos rear bodywork too? It was Waldegard on the 75 RAC that ran so long without (under OTL protest that was not subsequently upheld and he was rightly excluded).

I did some of the same events as John Barter and Dave Kirkham who used to enter their 1300 Sport under the "Supersport" banner. Supersport used to prepare great cars. The link was the "Roger A.C.Rally" and it was showing Dalby, superb. I never got out on this years event but will make sure I get to next years running with some likeminded mates. What was your car an RS2000 or a Twink? Walfridson came through some of the 1975 Fram Welsh stages with rear end missing, he never finished the event(IIRC it caught fire), but it was a great spectacle and the exhaust noise was just musical The names in the entry list, what memories, Barry Malkin, Richard Iliffe, Coburn and Spokes, Will Sparrow/Nigel Raeburn, great days!!

Car is an RS2. Have over 30 photos of it from the 2007 R.A.C. (the full stops are being used now to distinguish the event from the old RAC) but not my photos and don't have permission to post them. If enough people run in the class next year and the 16v class take points off each other, in its new owner's hands it's a good bet for the 2008 British Historic Rally Championship.

One photo I obtained last week from an Italian in San Remo, via France, was this. I asked him if I could re-post it and he readilly agreed but I am still worried about its origin and whether something got lost in translation of two non-natives communicating in French. If anyone believes it is copyright here in UK I will delete it immediately - but it's too good to ignore:The guy next to JC looks like Bruce McLaren but it couldn't possibly be him!